Another Place
by Lyssa117
Summary: What if Dumbledore had really thought things through and NOT had the Dursleys raise Harry? How would things be different? I just wanted to tweak this one detail and see what would happen...Please read and review! : Rate T for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is going to be a "what if..." story. What if the Dursleys did not raise Harry? I know its probably been done before, but...I wanted a shot at it! :) Hope you enjoy, please send me a review and let me know if you would like to read more! :) The story begins on Privet Drive, at the beginning of The Sorcerer's Stone. The first part of this chapter is largely taken directly from the original story, with bits and pieces of my idea woven in.**

**I do not own Harry Potter, the characters, or the story lines. **

Professor McGonagall jumped to her feet and pointed at number four. "You don't mean—you _can't_ mean the people who live_ here_? Dumbledore—you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son—I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"

"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."

"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous—a legend—I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future—there will be books written about Harry—every child in our world will know his name!"

"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"

Professor McGonagall stared back at him, matching his expression. "Albus. You must trust my judgment on this issue. Let him grow up away from the Wizarding World if you must, but not with these people! Watch them for yourself awhile if you don't believe me!" She drew herself up to her full height with her last statement, and her hair bristled, much like an angry cat.

"But they are his relatives. He will be safe here!" Dumbledore said, but without much conviction in his voice this time. Professor McGonagall shook her head.

"I'll say it again. You are the only one Voldemort ever feared. If anyone can make Harry safe, it is you. Let him live with me. Or with you. There are many other options!"

Dumbledore bowed his head. "I do trust your judgment, Minerva. I had hoped...well it doesn't matter much. I think I know of a place where he can grow up happy and secure. Yes...I think that if I put into place all of the protection I can think of, he will be safe." Professor McGonagall smiled in relief. Her heart was pounding, and she felt sure that Harry had just been saved from a most miserable childhood indeed.

"How is he getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.

"Hagrid's bringing him."

"You think it—_wise_-to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"

"I would trust Hagrid with my life." said Dumbledore. As if in answer to his statement, a low rumbling sound filled the silent night around them. It grew steadily louder and then swelled to a roar. A huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them. A huge man holding a bundle of blankets climbed carefully off of the motorcycle. "Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir." said the giant. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir." Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightening.

"Is that where-?" whispered Professor McGonagall.

"Yes." said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever." Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned away from the Dursley's house.

"Could I—could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.

"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall. "You'll wake the Muggles!"

"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, "But I c-c-can't stand it—Lilly an' James dead—an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles-"

"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but please get a grip on yourself, Hagrid. Harry will not be staying here." She patted Hagrid gingerly on the arm. Hagrid raised his head and stared at Professor McGonagall.

"Not living here? Where will he live then?" He asked incredulously. Professor McGonagall looked pointedly at Dumbledore.

"Well, Albus? Are you going to clue us in on the secret?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he smiled mysteriously. "You'll just have to trust me, this time, my dear Professor McGonagall. You and Hagrid may as well go and join the celebrations."

"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall—Professor Dumbledore, sir." Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall, " said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply. He looked down at Harry again, and when he raised his eyes, he could just make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. Dumbledore sighed heavily, and disappeared with Harry into the darkness with a barely discernible pop.

OoooOOoo

Jeannette walked to the front door, barely suppressing a yawn. She tied her robe around her waist, all the time wondering who on earth had rung the doorbell at this early hour. Well, she was certainly used to getting up at funny hours, with her 2 year old daughter going through a stage where she was having nightmares. She had considered waking her husband, but in the end decided not to disturb him. After all, she couldn't be entirely sure she had actually heard the doorbell at all, she might have just been having a very vivid dream. Jeannette hesitated before she reached out for the doorknob, and had a strange sensation that her whole life was about to change. _Don't be silly_. She told herself, and proceeded to open the door a crack. No one was standing before her. She looked left and right, then up and down the quiet street, and then finally down at the stoop.

She gasped and jumped back in horror, automatically clutching her heart with her hand. _What on earth..._She pulled the door fully open and stepped forward. There, on her stoop, was a basket which contained, undeniably, a _baby_. Acting on instinct, Jeannette reached down, lifted the baby out of the basket, and held him to her. He was wrapped in a blue blanket, so she assumed he was a boy, although that was certainly not an accurate indication. The baby felt surprisingly warm for being on her stoop on this chilly October night.

"Howard." She spoke her husband's name, but it came out barely above a whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Howard!" This time her voice penetrated the stillness of the sleeping household. Jeannette heard the bed creak above her, and soon after Howard could be heard on the stairs. He came into the room quickly, he hadn't even bothered to put on his robe. He quickly took in the sight of his wife standing by the open door, appearing stunned, holding a..._baby_?

"Jeannette? What's going on?" He asked. Jeannette shook her head, unable to explain.

"I..I thought I heard the doorbell...when I opened the door he was here alone in a basket..." Howard was already out the door and ran down the walk to the street. Not seeing anyone or any sign of life at all, he returned slowly to the door. He paused by the basket and thought he saw something white sticking out of it. He reached down and saw that it was a letter.

"Jeannette...look at this..." He brought the letter into the house, led his wife over to the couch, and they read it together, eyes widening in disbelief.

"But what does this mean?" Jeannette asked. "We've been _chosen_? By whom? This child was placed here purposely for us to protect and raise?" She ran out of words and could only look at the sleeping child...yes, the letter confirmed that he was a boy, in her arms. "Howard, what should we do?" Her husband looked just as confused as Jeannette, but he smiled and put an arm around her.

"There's a lot that goes on in this world that I can't explain and don't understand, but if you're willing, I think we should do what the letter says." Jeannette kept her eyes on the baby...the letter had said his name was "Harry."

"I agree, dear. I don't understand it either, but somehow this baby needs _us_. And we did want to give our little angel a brother or sister one day..."

"And you were so sad when you found out that you couldn't have any more children..." Howard interrupted, taking his wife's hand. She looked at him, her eyes shining happily.

"The letter says that all of the paperwork we'll need will arrive in the mail tomorrow. It sounds like everything is being taken care of..." The both sat quietly for a moment, looking down at the sleeping baby and absorbing the monumental decision that they had just made.

"Well, love, why don't I run up to the attic and get that portable crib. We can put this little one to bed in our room for now. I can't wait to see Sweetie-pie's face when we introduce her to her new brother!" Jeannette squeezed her husband's hand and leaned in to kiss him.

"I love you so much, Howard Granger." She murmured.

"As I love you, Mrs. Granger." He smiled at her and Harry, and then rose to get the portable crib. Jeannette watched him leave the room, and then stood up with the baby still in her arms.

"I do think you're going to be very happy here, little one." She walked slowly back into her bedroom, smiling as she thought about the future.

**A/N I know, a bit fluffy, but I wanted to set the stage...there will be some conflict in later chapters and I will try to follow the books, although obviously some events/story lines will change. So...like it? Don't like it? Please review and let me know, I really appreciate it! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Here is the next chapter...let me know if you have any ideas for this story or plots/pairings you would like to see! I don't own Harry Potter, the characters, or story lines.**

The wind was howling, but the air seemed strangely still around the small ten year old boy. His fists were clenched in anger, green eyes focused on the building. Any minute now...any minute they would show themselves. He bounced on his heels, feeling an intense agitation welling up within him. He knew that he could not wait much longer. He wasn't going to lose his nerve, but tried to keep his temper in check. He had noticed lately that odd things seemed to happen when he got angry, strange events that he couldn't control or explain later. He quickly focused on the mundane multiplication tables that his teacher was always pressing him to memorize and ran through them in his mind.

_8x2 is 16...8x3 is 24..._A bell sounded, startling him out of his thoughts. His pulse quickened as he knew he wouldn't have to wait much longer now. _8 x 4 is 35, no 32..._As if it were a living thing, the building seemed to breathe in anticipation of the stampede that would take place shortly. _8 x 5 is 45...no wait, that's 9 x 5.._. The door flew open, and a girl with bushy brown hair came flying through, as he knew she would. _Almost...almost..._Harry readied himself, math facts forgotten. It would be any moment now...

The girl headed toward him, her expression of fear and humiliation quickly changing to puzzlement as she recognized him.

"Harry? What are you doing here? I thought you were home sick today..." He did not respond, eyes still on the door. She followed his stare, and turned around slowly. "Come on, let's go..."

Two more people had come flying through the door. They looked around wildly, and then their faces settled into mischievous grins as they spotted the girl.

"There you are Mangy Grangy! Why don't you brush that hair? Or better yet, cut it off?" The two boys sauntered toward them. Harry stepped forward, eyes flashing with anger. The boys howled with laughter. "Oh look who it is...your freak brother! Hey, little freak, get outta the way...we're gonna give your sister a much needed haircut!" The one closest to Harry raised his hand, and the sharp glint of the scissors was unmistakable.

"He could use one, too." The other boy sneered.

"Stay away from us!" Harry yelled, a warning in his voice. The two boys were oblivious to it, and their faces took on more devious expressions as they advanced. Hermione moved to stand beside Harry, and together they faced her tormentors. Harry knew what was going to happen before it actually did, and for once, he knew that he wasn't going to be sorry. The wind that had been howling around them suddenly changed direction, heading straight for the two bullies. Unable to stand in the sudden gust, they both fell to the ground, and the scissors went flying. Harry reached out a hand and caught them, and then it was his turn to smile. "I said, leave us alone." He walked slowly toward the boys, aware in a back corner of his mind that the scissors were now glowing with an eerie golden/green light. The boys tried to get up, but found themselves unable to do so. They scrambled backward as quickly as they could on their hands and backsides, fearful eyes never leaving Harry.

"Just a little joke, man, we weren't really gonna do anything..." one of them whined.

"Yeah, let us go...we won't bother your sister again..." the other one begged, voice on the verge of hysteria.

"I'm not stopping you." Harry said, confused. But then he realized that he was, in fact, preventing them from getting up. He lowered the scissors, and even though they continued to glow that strange color, the boys seemed to be suddenly released. The both leaped to their feet and ran in the opposite direction.

"Freaks!" one shouted as soon as they were a safe distance away. Harry continued to stare at the scissors.

"Hermione? Are you okay?" He asked softly. She came closer and touched his arm.

"Of course, Harry. Thank you. But I'm glad no one saw that..." She glanced quickly to her left and right, and then also looked at the faintly glowing scissors. Harry knew what she meant—if one of the teachers had seen, it would have meant another letter home, something else to make their parents worry. And not to mention the fact that Harry had stayed home "sick" today, so he had no business being out of the house and near the school in the first place. "Come on, let's get home." Hermione linked her arm through his, and together they headed in the direction of their house.

When they arrived, they found their mother beside herself with worry because Harry was no where to be found. Her worry quickly turned to pride when she heard the story, and she hugged both of her children tightly to her.

"That's it." Jeannette said angrily. "I don't want either one of you going to that...place anymore. I don't know how many times I've complained to the head mistress about the things said to you two, and how many times her response has been "Children will be children, Mrs. Granger. And you have to admit, your children, are well, different." I don't want you two subjected to that again." Harry hugged his mother back and smiled in relief. It was such a good feeling to know that they could tell their parents anything and have their support. Jeannette and Howard were used to strange things happening in their household, usually resulting from Harry or Hermione expressing a deep emotion. Harry knew that they weren't his biological parents—that had been explained to him as soon as he was old enough to understand—but he loved them with all of his heart and felt like the luckiest boy alive to grow up with them.

Hermione, however, had pulled away in shock and faced her mother, eyes wide. "Not go back to school...all because of a couple of creeps? How will I learn? What will I do?" She wrung her hands with worry. Jeannette ran her fingers through her hair.

"We'll figure out something, Hermione, don't worry. I just don't think that's the best environment for you to learn."

"Yeah..." Harry blurted out. "And its not like you have a bunch of friends that you'll miss..." He regretted the words the second they were out of his mouth. "I mean, I don't either.." he said hastily, "and Mum and Dad will take care of it, they always do." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well, just so everyone is aware, I'm going to need lots of rides to the library in town." With that announcement, she tossed her brown hair and walked off toward her room. Jeannette smiled down at Harry.

"Why don't we talk about more cheerful things. For example, what would you like to do for your birthday this year?"

Harry laughed. "Mum, that's not for another month and a half!"

"Well, it never hurts to plan ahead." Jeannette laughed along with him. "Come on Harry, what kind of cake do you want? Do you want to go anywhere special?"

OoooOOoo

Harry felt restless, but he couldn't figure out why. His birthday was in a few days, and the family was planning to visit an amusement park, but he knew that wasn't the reason. It was almost as if something was going to happen...Both parents noticed his uneasiness and commented on it. All Harry could do was shrug and wish he had an answer for them.

He had been spending a lot of time watching his sister lately. While he loved his parents very much, Hermione was the one he felt closest to, the person he felt some sort of bond with. She was spending the majority of the summer in her room reading, as usual. Their mother had home schooled them for the remainder of the school year, which while fine with Harry, did not make Hermione very happy. She threw herself into into her studies with a vengeance, reading every book that she could get her hands on.

"Hermione?" Harry stood by her slightly ajar door. She didn't acknowledge him for a moment, and then looked up from her book.

"Yes?"

"Have you been feeling...strange lately?" She put the book down and surveyed him through slightly narrowed eyes.

"Strange how?"

Harry ran his fingers through his messy dark hair. "I can't really explain it, just like something exciting is going to happen? I was just wondering if you were feeling the same way because..well...you know..." Hermione nodded, knowing what her brother was trying to say. Whatever it was about her that made odd things happen sometimes, that set her apart from other people somehow, Harry could do it to. She thought back over the past few days, and then shook her head.

"Sorry Harry, I can't say I've noticed anything, but I've been reading so much lately I don't think I'd know if the house exploded around me." She smiled wryly, and they both remembered some years ago when Hermione had been having a temper tantrum and caused her favorite toy to erupt in blue flames. Their parents had tried to explain away the incident by declaring that the toy itself was unsafe and contaminated with chemicals, but Harry and Hermione could tell that they didn't really believe that. In any event, Howard and Jeannette had become quite used to strange things happening around their children. "Are you okay, Harry?" Hermione looked at him with genuine concern, and he smiled at her reassuringly.

"I'll be fine, probably just excited about turning 11. I'm going to go out in the yard for a while, get some air." He headed toward the stairs, but he could feel Hermione's eyes on him the entire time.

"Harry? Hermione? Could you both come here, please?" Jeannette's voice reached them at the same time. She didn't sound upset, but there was definitely an anxious edge to her voice.

"Coming!" Hermione answered for both of them. She sprang off of her bed and passed Harry on the stairs. When they found their mother in the kitchen, she was holding two large letters.

"The postman just delivered these, there's one for each of you." She handed Harry one of the letters, and then gave the other one to Hermione. "Look, they're sealed with wax!" All three of them looked at each other, as if one person would be able to solve the mystery.

"Well, only one way to find out..." Ever practical, Hermione ripped open her letter. Harry smiled at his mother and mirrored his sister's move. His heart was pounding with anticipation, but he didn't understand why, it wasn't as if he had never received anything in the mail before...

Hermione's face became more confused as she scanned her letter.

"Hogwarts? School of Magic? I don't..." She looked again, but this time her eyes were shining. "Harry, according to this letter, we've both been accepted to this school! I'm a witch and you're a wizard! It also says that young wizards and witches are usually notified before their eleventh birthday, but because we live in the same house they wanted to wait until your birthday, Harry!"

Harry would have laughed out loud at Hermione if her words didn't suddenly make something clear inside of him. The strange dreams that he had had for as long as he could remember about a flying motorcycle and brooms that moved through the air...a green flash...the recent strange things that happened around him and Hermione. He looked over his own letter, feeling his eyes widen as he took in the words.

"Let me see that..." Jeannette looked over her daughter's shoulder. "Well, this certainly explains a lot! We have a lot to talk about when your father gets home..."

"My letter says that a man named "Hagrid" is going to come here on my birthday and explain everything that we need to do! He's going to take us all to a place called Diagon Alley so that we can get all the supplies we'll need for school!" Harry interrupted his mother, words laced with excitement. His eyes met Hermione's, and the bond that he had always known was there felt stronger than ever.

**A/N Hope you enjoyed that chapter...next up, they all go to Diagon Alley! Please don't forget to leave me a review, they mean a lot! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N This is a response to the reviewer who was wondering about how quickly Harry and the Grangers accepted the fact that Harry and Hermione are wizards. The reviewer mentioned that in the actual story, Harry didn't believe Hagrid when Hagrid told him he was a wizard. **

**I would just like to share my thought with you: In the real story, Harry grew up in abusive home where he was made to feel different and as though something was wrong with him. His uncle almost crashed the car when Harry told about his dream of a flying motorcycle, and Harry was made to understand that any mention of things "magical" or "unnatural" was strictly forbidden. Of course he didn't believe Hagrid, Harry had no reason to believe that he was a wizard or that there was a logical explanation for the strange things that seemed to happen when he was scared or upset. Those things had never been a part of his sad and closed off world. In real life, Harry probably would have grown up to become a sociopath/serial killer since he did not know compassion and love after the age of 1. **

**In my version, Harry grows up in a supportive, loving environment where he does not feel "different" (Hermione can make odd things happen, too) or that there is anything wrong with him. Remember, their mother becomes angry at the school for allowing the bullying behavior toward her children. The Grangers are used to strange things happening in their family and are open minded people. Although we don't read about it in the actual story, when Hermione finds out she is a witch we as readers can easily assume that her parents were supportive.**

**Sorry about the wordy author's note, but I wanted to explain my reasoning and I really do love this kind of dialogue! Keep it coming, please! The complexities of all of the characters in this series really do invite it. :) **

**On with the story! I do not own Harry Potter, any of the characters, or story lines. **

"Harry, Mum said to tell you that dinner is ready." Hermione voice came from behind Harry, who was staring out of the window. He turned around slowly.

"Oh, okay, I'll be right there." Ever since he had read his letter, Harry had been looking out the window on and off for the past couple of days. He was excited and nervous about the person named "Hagrid" who would be coming to explain things. Was Hagrid an actual wizard? How would he arrive? Harry didn't tell Hermione, but he had been checking his closet and under his bed at night, lest Hagrid make an unannounced appearance there.

"This must have something to do with your real parents, Harry! Maybe we'll all find out where you came from!" Hermione said excitedly as she looked over Harry's shoulder at the empty street beyond the window. Harry shrugged, torn between wanting to know and not wanting to know. He knew the story, his parents had found him on their doorstep that long ago Halloween night. A letter from a Professor Albus Dumbledore had given limited information, and a few days later official adoption paperwork and a birth certificate had arrived, giving the Grangers legal rights to Harry. The same Professor Dumbledore's name had been on the letterhead of both letters he and Hermione had recently received, although the letters had actually been signed by a Professor McGonagall.

Jeannette and Howard were, of course, curious about Harry's true origins, but Jeannette had confessed to her husband that she was nervous about opening a Pandora's box.

Harry and Hermione were making their way into the kitchen when a loud bang from outside made them both jump.

"Kids, did you hear that?" Howard asked, joining them in the living room.

"Probably just a car backfiring..." Jeannette started to say anxiously from behind her husband. Just then, a loud knocking came from the front door. The family all looked at each other, and then Hermione smiled.

"I have a feeling that might be the visitor we've been waiting for." Howard nodded at his daughter, took a deep breath, and strode to the door. He hesitated briefly, and then opened it cautiously.

Harry stared in shock at the man that stood on the other side. He was huge, as big as at least three people. His dark hair was long and wild. Harry's eyes traveled from the man's dolphin size boots to his mass of wild dark hair. The eyes, he was relieved to see, were kind and twinkling as they fell on Harry.

"Harry! Good to see ya!" The man spoke, and his voice, while jovial, was loud enough to make Howard step back involuntarily.

"Uh, may I help you?" Howard asked, attempting a smile.

"I'm Hagrid, Reubus Hagrid. Did ya read about me in yer letters?" Hagrid indicated Harry and Hermione.

"Yes, we did." Howard answered, as Hermione and Harry were speechless. "My name is Howard Granger and this is my family. We have been expecting you, Mr. Hagrid." He looked at his wife for reassurance, and then stepped back somewhat reluctantly. "Please come in." He added.

"Thanks, and good to know ya!" Hagrid grinned and stepped into the house, ducking as he did so. He clapped Howard on the shoulder in what Harry supposed was a friendly gesture, and Howard stumbled. "Call me Hagrid, everyone does." Harry was aware in a back corner of his mind that he was being incredibly rude, but he couldn't stop staring. The man looked even bigger now that he was in their house, head and shoulders hunched as they rested on the ceiling. "I brought you somethin' Harry." Hagrid reached into his massive coat, and brought forth a slight squashed box. "I made it myself, although I mighta sat on it at some point."

"Th..thanks." Harry said, finding his voice. He moved forward and took the box from the giant man. He opened it up to find a cake wishing him a happy birthday. Jeannette immediately decided that anyone who was kind enough to bring a cake for her son was to be trusted.

"That was very kind of you Mr...er...Hagrid." She said, smiling up at him. "We were just about to sit down to dinner, we would be pleased if you could join us. I know that you have a lot of information to share with us, it will be best if we have this discussion with some food." Hagrid seemed delighted at the invitation, and settled himself into two extra dining room chairs hastily moved into the kitchen by Howard.

It was by far the most unusual dinner Harry had ever had. He could barely eat while Hagrid spoke about Hogwarts, the school for the education of young witches and wizards. He clearly loved it there, and Harry could see that in the way his face lit up while he talked. Hagrid also deeply admired Professor Dumbledore, who they learned was headmaster at the school and the person responsible for placing Harry with the Grangers. This made the conversation take a sadder turn, as Hagrid began to explain what had happened to Harry's real parents.

"They were murdered..?" Jeannette clapped a hand to her mouth, eyes wide with horror. Hagrid nodded sadly.

"By an evil wizard. One who turned as dark as you can get. An' he tried to kill Harry, here, too. But he couldn't. Somethin' abou' Harry stopped him. He supposedly lost his powers that night, but there's those that say he's still out there. Bidin' his time." All eyes flickered toward the window, at the darkness descending outside.

"Who is he? What was his name?" Harry asked. Hagrid shook his head.

"We don't speak his name."

"Can you write it down, then?" Hermione asked.

Hagrid sighed. "Nah, can't spell it. Okay, I'll say it, but just this once." He glanced left and right fearfully, and then said in a voice barely above a whisper "Voldemort."

"Voldemort?" Everyone at the table echoed, causing Hagrid to jump (shaking the entire house in the process) and wave his hands anxiously.

"Shhh! Don't say the name out loud!" Harry immediate thought was that "Voldemort" must be truly terrifying in order to have that kind of effect on someone as intimidating as Hagrid.

"And you said that I stopped him?" Harry asked in disbelief. Hagrid nodded, smiling proudly at Harry.

"That's how you got that scar on your forehead, Harry. When he hit you with the killing curse, it rebounded on him...no one knows why...and stripped him of his powers. He hasn't been heard from since. You're famous in our world, you're known as The Boy Who Lived." Now everyone turned to regard Harry. He met Hermione's eyes, and they widened. Jeannette put her head in her hands and massaged her temples.

"This is a lot to take in. My son...his parents murdered? He is the savior of your world?" She moved to put a protective arm around Harry.

"Dumbledore wanted him to grow up away from all that. Somewhere safe, he wanted Harry to have a normal childhood. And I do have to say, I haven't had lots of dealings with Muggles, but you folks seem all right." The family locked eyes with each other, and Howard mouthed the word _Muggles, _looking toward Hagrid for an explanation. "Oh, yeah, that means non-magical people." Hagrid went on to explain that they would all be journeying to Diagon Alley, a place where the wizarding world went to shop, in the morning. The family made a hasty dessert of Harry's birthday cake (which was a bit hard but the frosting was delicious), and then turned in for the night. Jeannette and Howard made a bed of sorts for Hagrid in the living room out of the couch cushions and extra mattress from the guest room.

Harry waited until he was sure his parents were asleep (Hagrid's loud snores from the living room told him that the giant was certainly slumbering peacefully) and then he snuck into Hermione's room. He was not surprised to find her still awake and waiting for him.

"What do you think?" He asked her, unable to express the confusing assortment of emotions he was experiencing.

"Oh Harry, this is so exciting!" Hermione jumped off of her bed and flung her arms around him. "Just think, you and I are going to this school! We're actually going to be learning how to do magic!" She sobered up immediately as she remembered the other part of the conversation. "I mean, I'm so sorry about your parents, I really don't know what to say." Harry shrugged.

"Me either. According to Hagrid, my mother died to save me." He touched the scar on his forehead absently. "I'm glad this Vold...evil wizard...is gone, but I have a feeling that this world is where I belong, where we belong."

"Well, I can't wait to find a bookstore in this Diagon Alley so that I can start learning all I can about it!" Hermione announced, eyes shining with excitement. They talked long into the night, wondering what the school would be like, how it would feel to hold a real magic wand, and what other surprises the following day would bring.

**A/N Oops, that chapter took longer than I thought! Okay, next one will be Diagon Alley! :) Please review! :)**


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